5 Mistakes To Avoid On Rest Days

When it comes to meeting your fitness goals, what you do inside the gym is just as important as what you do outside the gym. If you aren't careful, you could be nullifying your efforts by making these common rest day mistakes. Before we go any further, let's explore what is a rest and what roles it plays in our health and fitness journey. In a nutshell, they are just as the name implies. They are days you're supposed to take a break from exercising. Rest days are not only designed to give your body ample time to recover, they also help keep you healthy and prevent unnecessary injury. Here are some mistakes to avoid, if you want to get the best out of your health and wellness plans.

Not Getting Enough Sleep

While you may be able to get in a workout on days when you get little sleep, it's not something you want to make a habit. Studies have shown that getting the recommended hours of sleep improves athletic performance, which helps you reach your fitness goals faster. If your sleep suffers, so do those gains. So make a plan to get to bed at a decent hour!

Not Drinking Enough Water

Rest days allow your muscles to recover and rebuild stronger to attack your next workout. Water helps shuttle nutrients to your muscles to aid in the healing and recovery process. Not being properly hydrated can leave your muscles inflamed, which prolongs recovery and leaves you susceptible to injury.

Not Eating Enough

Along with drinking enough water, meeting your daily caloric needs is an important step to making sure you are recovering properly. Getting the right nutrients from lean protein sources and complex carbs can help boost recovery and fight off hunger. Here are some signs you may not be eating enough.

Exercising On Rest Days

While some experts do advocate for active recovery, they typically also recommend it to be kept light. There is no point of taking time away from your normal strenuous activity to be involved in another activity that is just as strenuous. Those who overdo it on rest days tend to be too sore to work out when it's time to be back in the gym, so try not to give into the urge to squeeze in a workout when you should be resting.

Not Getting Enough Rest Days

If you find yourself taking 1 day off every week or even once a month, chances are you could be overtraining. Experts typically recommend 2 days out of the week to let your body recover. Stretching, foam-rolling, or even going for walks can be a great way to practice active recovery. These movements are light enough to promote recovery and flexibility without pushing the body too much.